Press Release
Hang Chen Is Honored with the Silver A' Design Award for Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure in Engineering, Construction and Infrastructure Design
Hang Chen honored for engineering, construction and infrastructure design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure by Hang Chen, designed for WE-Me Group of Shenzhen Water Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Engineering, Construction and Infrastructure Design category. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Silver A' Design Award
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
About Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure
Pastoral Substation converts a 220kV substation into an open urban space. It features solar panels, kinetic devices, and green paths, blending clean energy with eco design. Drawing from the site's industrial past and natural surroundings, it provides event venues and field zones. The project reimagines infrastructure as a shared civic asset, turning the substation from an isolated facility into a community resource.
About Hang Chen
Hang Chen is a national registered urban and rural planner, landscape engineer, and outstanding interior designer in Guangdong Province, China. With a value orientation of "smart construction", he conducts planning and design projects tailored to specific commissions and local conditions in the fields of urban and rural planning, cultural and tourism development, architecture and landscape. His comprehensive practice strives to comply with regional development laws and maximize comprehensive value.
Award Record
This recognition makes Hang Chen a winner of 5 A' Design Awards. The awards span the editions from 2022 - 2023 to 2024 - 2025 of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Engineering, Construction and Infrastructure Design Award
The A' Infrastructure Design Award is an international competition recognizing good infrastructure projects by engineers and construction companies worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to infrastructure designers, civil engineers, building engineers and infrastructure brands from all countries. Entries typically include bridges, tunnels, highways, railways, airports and dams. Awarded infrastructure designs are published at https://desingers.org/design-category/infrastructure
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://desingers.org/172389
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/172389
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!172389
- Laureate Profile: https://desingers.org/d/343820
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
###
Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure
- Function
- Public Infrastructure
- Category
- Engineering, Construction and Infrastructure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Manufacturing
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Dark Olive Green, Black, Gray and Rosy Brown
- Images
- 5
- Client
- WE-Me Group of Shenzhen Water Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd.
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Hang Chen
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #172389
Credits
- Image Credits
- Hang Chen
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Pastoral Substation reimagines a 220kV power facility in Shanghai’s Minhang District, transforming it into an ecological and educational urban space. By integrating photovoltaic installations, kinetic energy devices, and interactive landscapes, the project merges renewable energy with public engagement. The design blurs boundaries between infrastructure and nature, redefining the substation as a sustainable community asset, fostering environmental awareness and urban connectivity.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Shanghai’s ambition for sustainable infrastructure, the project revitalizes an industrial site into a green, interactive environment. The design integrates technological innovation with ecological strategies, drawing from the region’s agrarian and water-based heritage. By incorporating renewable energy and adaptive reuse, it envisions a future where essential infrastructure harmonizes with public life, reinforcing the city’s commitment to green urbanism.
- Research
- The project explores the convergence of urban infrastructure and ecological sustainability. Through studies on renewable energy integration, community engagement, and adaptive landscape strategies, it establishes a replicable model for substation renewal. The research emphasizes low-carbon construction, multi-functional green spaces, and innovative energy use, ensuring infrastructure aligns with environmental and social needs.
- Challenge
- The challenge was to transform a traditionally enclosed substation into a dynamic, community-friendly space while maintaining its technical functionality. Balancing security, accessibility, and energy efficiency required innovative spatial configurations. The design overcomes these constraints by integrating controlled public access zones, interactive elements, and renewable energy solutions, redefining infrastructure as a sustainable urban asset.
- Realization and Technology
- The project employs solar panels, wind-powered installations, and rainwater collection systems to enhance sustainability. Locally sourced materials like steel, concrete, and timber ensure durability and contextual integration. Passive design strategies optimize natural ventilation and daylighting, reducing energy consumption. The landscape incorporates permeable surfaces and native vegetation, creating a resilient, self-sustaining environment that blends technology with ecological consciousness.
- Operation and Interaction
- Visitors engage with renewable energy exhibits, interactive solar installations, and pedestrian-friendly networks. Kinetic energy pathways generate power through movement, reinforcing sustainability education. The space fosters community interaction through workshops, guided tours, and public events. By redefining infrastructure as an accessible learning environment, the project transforms a once-isolated facility into an active, inclusive urban landmark.
- Project Duration and Location
- Located in Minhang District, Shanghai, China, the project aligns with Shanghai’s sustainable urban development initiatives. The transformation supports long-term ecological integration, enhancing urban resilience and energy-conscious city planning.
- Specifications
- The site spans 1.21 hectares, integrating substation infrastructure with eco-friendly landscapes and public engagement areas. A coordinated 3.49-hectare greenbelt enhances connectivity. Elevated walkways, solar canopies, and pedestrian pathways optimize multi-layered experiences, linking water, land, and energy systems. The design preserves natural elements, incorporating interactive learning spaces and sustainable mobility networks, setting a new standard for energy-conscious urban renewal.
- Keywords
- Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Urban Regeneration, Public Space, Ecological Landscape, Sustainable Design
